Ignition system.



C. F. KETTERING & W. A. CHRYST.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. I915.

Patented Jan. 15, 1918.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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M w [W m'fresses C. F. KETTERING & W. A. CHRYST. IGNITION SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 1915.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2- Patented J an. 15, 1918.

" (sas Pa r one.

LES F. KETTERING AND WILLIAM A. CHRYST, F DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE DAYTON ENGINEERING LABORATORIES COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

remrron sYs'rEin.

of the, United States of America, residing at Dayton, county of Montgomery, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and .use-

ful Improvements in Ignition Systems, of

which the following is a full, clear, and

exact description.

This invention relates to an improvement in ignition systems, and more partlcularly to that type of ignition systems which are combined with combustion or explosion en- -gines, and which include -mechan1sm for properly timing and distributing the sparking impulses of the ignition system.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide means, whereby certain of the mechanical elements of the ignition system may be readily adjusted, without the use of special tools, to change or vary the time of occurrence, and the distribution of the sparking impulses.

The present invention tends to provide an ignition system embpdying what may be termed a fixed adjustment for certa n: of the elements of the ignition system, which is operated in a manner entirely independent from the mechanism which, in many cases, is provided for adjusting the time of occurrence of the ignition spark and the distribution thereof, during the operation of the engine. t

This greatly facilitates the manufacturing and assembling of the elements of the ignition system, inasmuch. as no special attention need be paid to the relative position of the variouscooperating elements of the ignition system, at the time of initially assembling saidelements, for the reason that the necessary adjustments of said elements may be readily made, after the system has been installed or applied in operative position. 4

The present invention may be used to equal advantage in ignition systems, wherein the ordinary adjustment is provided for changing or varying the time of occurrence of the spark, during the operation of the engine, or in systems wherein, what is termed the fixed spark ignition is employed. 7

Further objectsland advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 25, 1915 Serial No. 30,398.

to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of one embodiment of the present invention is clearly set forth.

' In the drawings:

' Figure l is a vertical sectional view of the timing and distributing unit, of an ignition system embodying the present invention.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are detail perspective views of certain of the component parts of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a View showing a modified form of the adjusting element.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of an ig nition system, embodying the present in vention.

In ignition systems of the type shown in Patent N 0. 1,040,349, issued to Mr. Charles F. Kettering, on October 8, 1912, there is embodied a unitary structure which includes not only a timing mechanism for controlling the primary circuit of-an ignition system, but also a distributing mechanism, which selects the cylinder wherein the sparking impulse is to occur.

In the construction and installation of ignition systems having certain characteristics of the system embodied in the'above mentioned patent, it frequently occurs that the elements comprising the timing mechanism, are not properly located or positioned, relative to each other, to effecttheir proper function at a determined time, with reference to the cycle of the en ine.

Thus, it may happen that if the timing and distributing mechanism are not installed in correct position, relative to the driving means, the timing of the spark and the distribution thereof, will not be effected at the proper time, to efliciently provide the engine with ignition.

The present invention is adapted to overcome the objections set forth, by providing for the synchronous adjustment of the movable element of the timing and adjusting mechanism, relative to the driving mechanism thereof, and the stationary cooperating parts of said mechanism.

The present invention, as shown in the acqimpanying drawing, embodies a timer cam 20, which is adapted to'eifect the closing and opening of the contacts 21 and 22, to intermittently close and open the primary circuit of the ignition system. This cam 20 is connected indirectly with the same .as that set forth in the above mentioned patent to Mr. Charles F. Kettering, 1,010,349, October 8, 1912..

' The shaft 23 is connected with any suitable engine driven mechanism, and is adapted to be operated at a predetermined speed, relative to the speed of the engine, re ardlessof any variations therein.

Tntermediate the shaft 23 and the cam carrying element 24,- there is a suitable sleeve25, havinga slot and pin connection with the shaft 23, in such a manner that the sleeve 25, together with the cam carrying element 24, may be adjusted relative tothe shaft 23, duringthe operation of the engine, by means of the manually controlled lever 26. p

This adjustment is to provide for acer- 'tain range of advancement and retardation f of the time of occurrence of the sparking impulses and the distribution thereof, so that suitable adjustments may be made from time to'time during the operation of the engine, to meet the varying conditions thereof.

The tubular sleeve 25, at its upper end,

has a flanged head 27, counterbored as at 28 to form a seat for the shoulder 31, formed on the cam carrying element 24.

This element 24, as is shown in detail in Fig. 3, comprises a hollow shank portion 34,

adapted to, have the cam 20 secured thereto in any suitable manner; The upper portion of this shank may be reduced as at 35, and is adapted to carry and support'the rotor 36 of the distributing mechanism; This dis-- I tributing mechanism includes beside the rotor, the distributer head 37, which is of substantially the same type as that shown, described and claimed in the patent heretofore mentioned. 4

It will be seen from the above arrangement of parts, that the element 24 not only 'supports'and carries the cam 20, but also the rotor 36, in a fixed relative position, and both of these elements in an adjustable rela- .,tion*to the sleeve 25. At the oppositeend of the cam carrying element'24, the shank portion'38 is split into segments, as at 38, by a plurality of slots39. A depression 40 is formed in the shank portion 38, adjacent to the flange or shoulder 31, so asto increase the resiliency of the segments 38%. The shank 34 is'tubular and is internally threaded, as at 41. The portion of said eleinentj which isslotted, is so formed that an in verted conical shaped opening, as at 43, is

provided, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter.

:44 designates an o erating screw, which is threaded at '44 and has a conical shaped portion as at 44, so arranged as to correspond with the, relative is'crew threaded portion 41 and the conical shaped interior, facesofthe' segments 38* respectively, of thecam carrying element.

I Now, supposing that in assembling the val-- rious elements of the present invention, the

. cam and the rotor-of the distributer are mounted on the element 24, in an improper position relative to the contact plates included in the primary circuit, and to the contact brushes forming a part of the secondar circuit and cooperating with the brush 39 of the rotor 36 of the distributer.

Up to the present time, in certain ignition systems, it has been necessary to unpin the cam 20 and then redrill the shank 34 of the element 24, in order to properly locate the cam. It was also necessary to remove the rotor 36 of the distributer, and to relocate the slot 50, which receives the pin 51, carried by the sleeve 52.

In the present invention, however, it is simply necessary to loosen the screw 44, thus permitting the segments 38 to return to their normal position, whereby the cam carrying element may be easily turned in the sleeve 25, until the cam 20 and the rotor 36- 'of the distributer are properly positioned relative to the contact plates 21 and .22, and

the contact brushes carried by the distributer head.

When the proper adjustments have been made, it is only necessary to operate the screw so as to expand the split shank por tion and consequently cause the segments 38 to press outwardly against the inside surface of the sleeve 25. The depression 40 reduces the amount of-metal at this point,

thereby increasing the resiliency of the segments 38". v

Referring to the diagrammatic View shown in Fig. 6, with reference to the cylinders, it will be noted that'the one marked 4, is in position to fire. However, the timer cam 20, as shown in dotted lines, is improperly located, relative to the contact elements :21 and'22, so that the closing of the primary circuit of the ignition system, by the'timer cam, would not occur until'after thepiston within the cylinder 4 had passed beyond the proper point in its cycle of movement.

However, when-the elements included in 1 the present invention, which have been clearly described above, have been adjusted so that the timer cam will be in position'as 1s shown in full lines in Fig. 6, it will'beobvious that the primary circuit of thesystem will be closedat a predetermined time, relative to the position of the piston, said time of course being regulated in any suitable manner by means 0 the ordinary-automatic or mechanical spark control mechanism. K In Fig. 6, a systemis shown, which 1s sub-.

stantially the. same as that described and shown in the co-pending application, Serial naeaaee spectively to break the main circuit, after it has initially been closed by the operation of the timer cam, and to select the cylinder,

wherein the sparking impulses, generated by the operation of the current interrupter, or

relay, are to be discharged.

It will be obvious, however, that the type of system shown and described in the above mentioned Fig. 6, is not intended as a limi-,

tation in any sense, inasmuch as the relay or interrupter and the distributer may be entirely eliminated or replaced by any other suitable mechanism.

Referring to the diagrammatic view shown in Fig. .6, when the cam 20 closes the contacts'21 and 22 as shown, the current,

through the primary winding 63, back to the battery via the wire 59. p p

The'current continues to pass through the winding 63 of the relay, untilthe core thereof is sufficiently energized to attract the armature 60, which action opens the contacts 61 and 62, thus breaking the main circuit through the fine wire winding 58, until the through the winding 63. However, a small amount of current will continue to flow through the'fine wire winding 58, which is of much higher resistance than the winding 63, v I

Now as soon as the main induction coil, in the usual manner. I-Iowever, a closed circult will be maintained action of the timer breaks the circuit at the contacts 21 and 22, so that only a single sparking impulse will occur during each successive interval that the main circuit isv closed by the timer cam.

In Fig. 5, there is shown amodification of the above mentioned adjusting or cam carrying element. This consists of the shank 45, which is adapted to have the cam 20 pinned thereto, in a suitable manner. The upper portion of this shank is reduced as at 46, and is adapted to carry and sup port' the rotor 36 of the distributer mechanism, this distributer mechanism including. the rotor and distributer head37, comprises substantially the same construction as that shown, described andclaimed in the patent heretofore mentioned. v

The flange or shoulder 48, formed adja:

cent to the cam carrying shank'45, is provided with a pair of oppositely. disposed tioned that a portion thereof will be in alinement with the threaded bores 47?, located carrying element 24, is thus readilysecured to the said sleeve 25, by means of the screws 54, which are passed through the slots, and screwed in the threaded bores 47*, thus permanently connecting the cam carrying ele- -ment 24 and the sleeve 25, until such a time as the screws 54 are loosened.

The shank 49, located at the lower extremity of the cam carrying element .24, fits loosely into the sleeve and simply actsas a pilot or guide for said element.

In ignltion systemswhich are capable of manual adjustment during the operation of p the engine, to vary the time of occurrence of the sparking impulses, that is, either to advance or retard the'same, to provide for the varying engine conditions, the present invention is especially adaptable, inasmuch as the range of said manual adjustment may be varied as desired to'meet any special conditions.

In ignition systems, however, which employ what is known as fixed spark? ignition, and wherein no adj ustmentis provided for, for compensating for the varying conditions of the engine, the present invention will also be found to be particularly adaptabla y While we have set forth one preferred p v form of the present invention, it will be circuit is broken 'at contacts 61 and 62, an impulse will be induced in the secondary winding 64 of theand the accompanying drawings are not inp in the flange 27 of the. sleeve 25. The cam I tended as a limitation of our invention, but

that we reserve the right to make-whatever changes in the elements and combinations of elements, comprising the present invention, as may come within the scope of the appended claim...

What we claim is as follows:

In an ignition system, a timing and dis tributing mechanism 'for controlling the time of occurrence of the sparking impulses, comprising a circuit controlling element; driv ing mechanism therefor, including a hollow shaft; a support for said'circuit controlling element, havlng a tubular shank and adapted to fit within said hollow shaft; and means operable relative to said support to expand said shankv to secure the support to the driving mechanism.

In testimonywhereot we aflix our signatures in the presence of two-subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. KETTERING. WILLIAM A, CHRYST.

Witnesses:

J. W. McDoNann,

U. D. Mower.

its

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